Oral Health Concerns for Seniors

One thing to be kept in mind is that you need to take care of your teeth no matter what age group you belong to. Oral health requirements change with the age. With aging, oral health gets affected as well. This is the reason that there is too much of a concern about how seniors can take care of their oral health. With good oral health, seniors can ensure their better overall health as well.

There are a few seniors’ oral health issues to be discussed in this regard.

Cavities

Aging results in the gums being pulled back from the teeth. This pulling back of gums results in exposure of the tooth’s area which doesn’t have much of enamel cover. At certain point, there is no enamel at all. Exposure of this area can lead to the development of tooth decay and cavities. This problem gets worse with the existence of cavities.

Decay around the edges of the fillings is also another concern for the older people. This is usually due to the lack of fluoride supply to the teeth.

Dry mouth

Another huge oral health concern for the seniors is dry mouth. The matter of fact is that mouth dryness is not just an oral health issue. It is a problem which affects the quality of life. With reduced saliva in the mouth, a person just finds it very difficult to have the food particles washed away from the mouth. Moreover, mouth dryness can also result in the prevalence of bad bacteria which can then cause cavities and other issues related to teeth and gums.

The best solution here is to make sure that your mouth is moist. You will need to increase your water intake to keep the saliva regulated in your mouth. You can also seek treatments to stimulate the production of saliva in the mouth. Moreover, you are going to have to avoid foods and beverages that can cause mouth dryness. Mouth dryness can be a side effect of an oral or overall health condition. Therefore, you need to get in touch with your dentist or health physician to seek proper treatment for the issue.

Tooth loss

Another oral health issue with the aged people is tooth loss. According to a survey, the adults over the age of 65 lose 13 of their 32 teeth on average. Nevertheless, it’s a good news that you can always avoid tooth loss by taking care of your dental health at home and visiting your dentist regularly.